Diverted destiny of four souls
by redcristal
Summary: This is a tale of five not-so-ordinary girls and how, with a single unforeseen and unwelcome death of a five year old girl, their fates change forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Diverted destiny of four souls**

**Disclaimer**: Let's see, characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon.

India Cohen, Christopher Bothwell and India's father (name was never given so I gave him one) are from the Buffy novel written by Nancy Holder – **The book of fours**.

I'm not earning any money either, only amusement, frustration and couple WTF moments I had when I started on this …and anything …

InuYasha belongs to **Rumiko Takahashi**.

**More detailed disclaimers will be given later on…as in, to whom certain character belongs etc. ** But for the moment this will suffice.

**Spoilers**: Well, essentially this is an AU (sort of), since Buffy will never be called as The Slayer EVER (and yes, it is still Buffy-centric story. Anyway spoilers: BtVS, AtS, the Book of fours by Nancy Holder (Never mind if you didn't read it; I won't be spoiling too much of it…I'm just giving out a warning that there will be some things from that Buffy novel, and InuYasha Manga and Anime.

**Summary**: This is a tale of five not-so-ordinary girls and how, with a single unforeseen and unwelcome death of a five year old girl, their fates change forever.

**Prologue: Compensation: Two souls become one**

_Tokyo, Japan__ - 10__th__ of April, 1985_

Spike was having fun. He loved when he was taken on a chase, especially if the 'happy meal with legs' was a spunky one. Normally, he'd leave little kids alone unless he was really hungry, but his Dark Goddess wanted something small before they left Tokyo for good. He honestly didn't get why most vampires and demons avoided Japan and nearby isles like a plague.

But Dru didn't like it here so they going to leave as soon as he catches that spunky kid he was chasing for at least twenty minutes.

"Bloody hell," he muttered when he saw the little raven-haired, blue-eyed girl disappear through the laundry shaft.

"Oh well, plenty of those where this one came from." He muttered, then turned away and strolled toward this business complex's daycare, whistling a happy tune.

***BtVS***InuYasha***BtVS***InuYasha

Two uniformed police men stood in the hospital hallway talking to a distraught, heavily-pregnant woman in front of hospital room filled with beeping machines and one single small bed containing a small pale girl.

"Thank you for your time, Mrs. Higurashi," said one of uniformed men and they bowed and left the hallway. Mrs. Higurashi then turned and entered the room behind her, approaching the bed where her daughter lay.

Sitting down, she reached and tucked one raven strand of hair behind her daughter's ear, away from pale cheek, finally letting silent tears fell, while memories of her daughter's five years filtered through her mind, knowing that they will be all she'll ever have, since her child will never again opened her eyes and offered cheerful smiles again. Her prognosis was every mother's nightmare, her child suffered severe trauma to the brain and internal bleeding that doctors were too late to stop. And the doctors said that she wouldn't last the night.

Leaning forward and letting tears drop on the girl's pale – all too pale cheek – she whispered, "Kagome, sweetie, I'm so sorry." Then she finally let her sobs sound through the room that was until then undisturbed, save for the beeping of life support machines.

Couple of hours later, the beeping was replaced by a steady long, painful beep and the girl's pale face was covered with white sheet.

***

Right this moment on the higher planes **Amaterasu-ōmikami** , Japanese sun goddess was not amused. In fact, she was positively livid, not only was the deal between Kami, the PTB and the Senior Partners of Dark broken because of the silly game of Shōgi between the latter two, making them clumsy in their concentration on keeping their leeches away from lands under Kami's protection. Now they had to insult the Kami with their offer of a compensation for the girl that those said leeches killed and offered to give the girl whose soul they wanted to use as a host to the body of a Key. …well, now she'll just have to teach how displeased she was with their disregard for lower beings. And she'll make sure that Kami's influence will reach beyond agreed borders.

"Show me the child again," she commanded. And a female being with violet pupil-less eyes and long, green hair stepped forward and raised her arms, palms apart. Soon a light shined between her palms and an ornate gold mirror appeared. Pink and blue lights swirled on the surface until they calmed down, and an image of a coughing, light-haired girl in a hospital bed appeared.

"Well then, this is the poor child whose soul the PTB wanted to use to inhabit the blood of Key, making sure that their pawn would protect the body that houses the soul she feels connected to?"

Looking at the violet eyes above the rim of the mirror; "Was it done?"

"Yes, My Lady, the Miko's whole soul – along with Shikon no Tama – are safely stored inside the mirror and ready for transfer in to this child."

"No, this is not the child," said Amaterasu, a small smile playing on her beautiful face. Then she reached out and touched the mirror's surface, making the view widen to include the curtains around the girl's hospital bed. And there, slowly pushing away at the curtains is another girl, a girl with dark blond hair and hazel eyes.

"That is the child; now go."

***

**Los Angeles, America**

A girl was sneaking trough the empty hallways of the LA Memorial Hospital, careful at not being seen by any nurse or a doctor, or spotted by her mom. Carefully peeling back the curtains around her dear cousin's hospital bed.

"Celia?"

The girl on the bed wakes up and looks around. When she spots the other girl, she smiles and exclaims happily, "Buffy. You came. I was soo…"

But she cuts herself off with a terrified scream, holding her hands in front of her, trying to push a scary man with bulging eyes away from her.

Buffy tries to move closer. "What's wrong? Celia! I don't know what to do."

But Celia keeps screaming at the top of her little lungs and pushing at nothing. Buffy runs down the hallway screaming for help, all the way hearing her cousin's terrified screams, "Get it off of me!!!"

Buffy ran through the bright empty hallways, but nobody was coming, despite all the screaming. She turned a corner and ran into someone. The blow was so hard that she was thrown backwards and landed on her butt. Raising her eyes to look up, she saw a strangely dressed green-haired lady.

"Hey lady, please help my cousin…" but the child's rapid words were interrupted when a large mirror that strange lady was holding started to glow and then lights leaped towards her.

Buffy screamed.

**Chapter 1: Diary of ****India Cohen**** the Vampire Slayer**

Disclaimer: Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid belongs/was directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen.

_-----------------------------------------_

_Dear diary__,_

_**June 29, 1992**_

_My name is India Cohen and I just celebrated my 14__th__ birthday, and this diary was a present from my mom…well__,__ my step__-__mother._

_I suppose that I should write something about __myself__…don't know__,__ I never had a diary before…and I'm not gonna ask my __little sister__ (step__-__sister) how to do it, little brat could just prank me…not that I wouldn't deserve it…I did hide her skating boots in the washing machine._

_Anyway__,__Daddy__, his name is Marcus, is a captain of one of the biggest ships in the seventh fleet. He and mom (step__-__mom) __were__ married __on__ 15__th__ November 1987… I still remember the wedding, it was fun to dress up and __I was glad__ that I'm getting my best friend as a sister (little sister)__._

_Daddy was divorced from my mom (since I was 3)__.__Some__ people are just not for marriage and Sujana - they met in some ball in __India__,__ I think__.__ I haven't seen her in years, in person that is, since she is __a __pretty famous actress in India._

_Mom and __Daddy__met__ when we were at the ZOO in LA at the Panda bears__'__ cage. My little brother__,__ Ryan__,__ was born 3 years after that. And he is __definitely__ the baby of the family, we all spoil him, but he is not __snotty__ about it._

_(__Ohh__ my __mom's__ name is Joyce and her husband Hank died in car crash__.__)_

_He usually sleeps in Buffy's room since apparently he can't sleep alone__.__ Buffy is my little sister…who __BTW__gave__ me one of the __bestest__ gifts ever, and got yelled at later when __Mom__ thought I can't hear, but I'm glad I can keep Munchkin (my dog, I always wanted a dog, and Buffy said that she was smallest in the store and nobody wanted her__. Well,__ I think that being the runt of the litter is full of you know what, since nothing is wrong with Munchkin) the Samoyed. _

_Anyway__,__Mom__ is antique dealer and currently we all (__Daddy__, __Mom__, Buffy, Ryan, me and my grandparents are living in __Green Bay__, but we (us five) could move any time, really. We __move__ a lot, and we (kids) __can't__ find many friends, just playmates and school mates. We all have some pen pals__,__ but after a while even those __things__ are cooling down…I suppose that old saying I heard somewhere: 'out of sight out of __heart'__ doesn't fit only love__,__ it goes for friendship __too__…or maybe all of it was bunch of *something* and they weren't really real friends._

_**May 10, 1993 - **__**Los Angeles**_

_Ryan is copy__-__catting Buffy and he brought a dog (but for himself)__.__Mom__ hit the roof, Munchkin treats the puppy like … well__,__ her puppy…__it's__ funny seeing a big fluffy white dog playing with scrawny brown puppy (with floppy bat__-__like ears and long tail)__._

_And __they__ turned __Mom's__dinner__ in to their playground, but I don't think we really __minded__ that much…since well (and that is also the reason of my absence in writing here…I completely forgot about this__ diary__), __Daddy__ had a accident and he was in hospital for months and now is undergoing rehab, he can't walk,…I'm just glad he is still with us…we all are._

_**June 29, 1993 - Los Angeles**_

_Something weird happened today. I went outside to walk Max (Ryan's dog) and Munchkin and there was this amazingly cute guy standing across the street. He had black, black hair and big, big green eyes. Not hazel, with green mottled with brown and grey like Buffy's (__How__ do I know__?__Well,__ I just __spent__ two hours at staring at Buffy's eyes and she __at__ mine for our French __course__, we had to describe each other)._

_Anyway__,__ he was so cute, and he was leaning on the wall and smoking a cigarette. And when he saw me, he looked kinda startled and said__:__India?_

_And he even pronounced correctly (__Nobody__ gets it right__;__ at the beginning __it's__ In-DEE-a and not like the country…__though__ the little brat of a sister called me Indy, and she was only doing it to annoy me…but I annoy her back and call __her__ little Annie Bee)__._

_Oh and I know you'll read this__,__ you little brat…and I do not appreciate being called __nosy__big sister__…I needed to know what all __the__ secrecy was about…but seriously__,__ cheerleading__? _

_Anyway__,__ brownie points for the cutie guy, so I racked the brains to try to remember if I __knew__ him, or if my family does. _

_So I say: __Yeah__?_

_And he is all__:__I'm your __Watcher__._

_I __was__ freaked out, cuz what does that mean, that he's my stalker or something__?__ So wanting to get what he's on about and being cool about it I said: __Really. How about that?_

_And he looked at me like I should know what __he__means__: __It's happened__._

_At the time I was all __'__huh, what happened and why does the cute guy looked so proud of whatever happened__?'__Then__ he said __(And__I knew it __better not something perverted, otherwise __I'd__ have to use some of the moves Mr. Miyagi __taught__ my sister and me and send him packing__. He__ is friends with __Daddy.__Apparently,__Daddy__ and some other guy saved the man somewhere__.__Mom__ didn't like the idea of her little girls fighting__,__ but Miyagi said that __parents__ tell little girls to be pretty and good and not fight, but when the trouble comes, __the __girl is helpless or something like that…and so __Mom__ relented and we both __learned__ a lot…karate and how to polish cars and paint the fences)._

_You've been called, you're the __Chosen__One._

_And then__ I was like__:__Say__ what?_

_He put a hand on my shoulder and there was where I __drew__ the line…I gave him a quick jab in the face and then kicked his legs under him so he landed on his butt and when he looked up__,__ he was __immediately__ greeted with two overprotective guard dogs with sharp teeth sneering at him._

_And then I demanded answers__,__ and boy did I get __them__…vampires exist and so do the other things…and I'm wondering if Buffy's weird lady with the mirror was something other than human._

_And the cute guy…_

_He is a Watcher and I was called as a Slayer, its supposed to be all this sacred destiny/ duty thing to slay vampires...I'm the Chosen __One__…until some vamp gets a lucky shot and kills me and my death screws with another __girl's__ life (literally – __it's__ not special gift as Kit calls it, it doesn't make me special…__it's__ my death sentence, but if I don't do something__,__ people die __when__ I could prevent their death)__._

_**April 2, 1994 - **__**San Francisco**_

_I think I love him. But he doesn't show any interest in me…and there are 4 possibilities for that:_

_One__,__it's__ against the rules… (Buffy thinks if that is his reason for staying away__,__he__ is biggest dope on Earth – and yes__,__ my family knows of my calling…__Hey,__ if a bunch of vamps attack you__,__ and then yours truly tosses __Daddy__ a stake and a cross to my mother and __they__ go __poof__ and all grr on you…and Buffy fried them__.__ I mean__, a__ vamp grabbed her, she put a palm between herself and the vamp and the pinkish light-force emerged from the palm and he went __poof__…Kit is still looking it up…but he found some references on the powers like this…this is Miko power…I don't know what that means)__._

_Two, he__ is not interested…pity that since he is __really__ cute._

_Three, he__ is interested__,__ but shy (or scared of dad, since he was glaring at him the other day__)._

_Four, he__ is gay...not much I can do if he is._

_**April 11, 1996**_

_He loves me__! He__ finally said it…yey!!_

_Dad's__ gonna kill him__._

_But he loves me__!_

To be continued….next time **Good bye LA and welcome to Sunnydale**

**

* * *

  
**

**Mrs. Higurashi** is a mother of **Kagome Higurashi** one of centralcharacters in Manga/ Anime -InuYasha

**India Cohen** :a fictional character featured in BTVS. tie-in novels, was the Slayerthat preceded Buffy Summers. Parents names were never given so I gave them.

**Amaterasu-ōmikami** in Japanese myth a sun goddess and one of the principal Shinto deities or Kami., Her name, _Amaterasu_, means literally "(that which) illuminates Heaven".

**Kami** are the central objects of worship for the Shinto faith., the nature of what can be called "kami" is very broad and encompasses many different concepts and phenomena.

Shōgi **Shogi** (将棋, _shōgi_**?**, generals' chess) also known as **Japanese chess**, is a two-player board game.

**Miko** (literally "shaman woman") is a Japanese term that anciently meant a "female shaman, spirit medium" who conveyed oracles from kami("spirits; gods"). English has diverse translation equivalents for Japanese _miko_. While "shrine maiden" is frequently used, other equivalents are "female shaman" (aka "shamaness" or "shamanka"), "(spirit) medium", "prophet", "priestess", "witch", or "sorceress".


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Goodbye LA and welcome to Sunnydale**

_In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. SHE is also my older sister. And it's supposed to be a secret shared only by a Watcher (Kit as she called him- _Christopher Bothwell_) but I knew and soon after me the rest of our family. Having a bunch of vampires attack us, would do that. _

_Kit didn't like us knowing, but Indy didn't give him much of a choice. So they worked together and after a while I did too (BTW palm blast burns my hands if I use it too much, and I feel drained, but at least I can use it when I wanna). _

_As for Indy, she is depressed and not because we moving from LA to some small town (Sunnydale-sounds happy and sunny)…Kit is dead and Indy was in a hospital, some mummy thing with an axe attacked them…_

_Extract from Buffy Anne Summers-Cohen's diary_

----------------------------------

**Sunnydale**

**Sunday 1st of September, 1997**

Buffy was sitting by the bed, watching India sleep. She found herself doing that a lot in the past six months; waking before her sister and sitting by her bed.

They came so close to losing her, not that their parents, grandparents or even their baby brother knew about it. They knew that she was attacked and that Kit, her boyfriend/fiancée and Watcher was dead.

India was dreaming…she was in a cave lit by candles, then she found herself in the cemetery and before an ugly wrinkly vampire. At that, she shot up, wide awake, her heart hammering wildly. Looking around, she spotted her wide-eyed sister staring at her.

"Buffy?"

Buffy gave her sister a genuine smile. "One and only. Good morning, Indy." She looked her sister over.

India nodded and yawned… "Good thing today is Sunday and not our first day of school."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

India winced at the question, and Buffy narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"No."

"Yes, you did, you winced."

"I had a foot cramp."

Buffy scoffed, "Slayers don't have foot cramps."

"I wish that was true."

Buffy looked at her strangely, however, India just shrugged; she had more rapid healing than her sister, but that didn't saved her from the occasional muscle cramp.

Buffy leaned forward. "So what was your nightmare about?"

India looked away. "I told you I didn't have a nightmare," she muttered, but Buffy wasn't convinced, since she could still clearly see in her mind's eye the distress her sister showed moments before snapping awake.

"You also didn't tell me off for calling you Indy."

"Don't call me Indy, you little squirt, or I'll call you Annie Bee again."

"You are so not able to call me little; I'm not much shorter than you."

"But you are shorter."

"For an inch or two, and I'm still growing…besides, being petite is cute."

"Not if you want to reach for something."

"True."

The sisters looked at each other and then dissolved in to a fit of giggles.

In the middle of their moment of amusement, Joyce's voice floated up to her daughters.

"Since you two are awake and arguing, you can come down and have a breakfast. That is, if you want pancakes before Ryan eats them all."

Buffy sighed and stood up to leave India's room so that she could change from her pajamas. "Come on slowpoke, hurry up and get dressed so that we can get downstairs and get some pancakes."

"You can go ahead."

"Heh…don't be stupid, I've always waited for you, there is no reason why should I break that tradition." Then she gave India piercing look. "And don't think I'll let that nightmare go…Obviously it troubles you."

"You can't change my destiny, Buffy."

"Oh please…destiny smestedy…no path is written, just possible destinations."

"Where did you pick that up?"

"I…you know…I have no idea. Get dressed; I'll wait by the door."

At the table, Ryan was stuffing his face with as many pancakes that kid his age could manage.

"Hey, shrimp." Buffy and India chorus in tandem when they entered the kitchen.

Ryan smiled through his meal and waved, then resumed eating. Suddenly, there was a pitter-patter of paws on the kitchen floors and three dogs ran thru the door.

India smiled and kneeled down to pet the furry heads of her dogs…Well, family dogs since Shara was Buffy crazy and even now the black eyes on her white and brown face were watching her sister expectantly…and sure enough, Buffy pulled a dog snack out of her pocket and scratched Shara behind her ears.

"So, girls, what will you two be doing today?"

"Well, I was thinking of putting the rest of the moving boxes away, but maybe Buffy would like to go out?" India aimed the last part to her sister.

Buffy shrugged, "I still have some things I have to unpack." _**'Mostly books that Kit gave me on my *frying vamps with a touch* ability,'**_ she thought. She won't say it out loud, since the guy's mere name was sometimes enough to send India into depression.

"So do I," India nodded to herself, "and tomorrow is first day of school. And I still can't believe that school system is putting me in the same year as you, shrimp; I'm 18, not a 15 year old girl here."

***

Bronze wasn't much…just a small place that could be a basement of the clubs Buffy and India were used to….but it was kind of cozy.

Some band was playing, and both sisters tuned into the lyrics.

_Oh, I just want to believe / Can you hear me? / Can you see me? / What's inside of me? / Oh, I just want to believe / If my life can have a purpose / Help me to believe / Oh, I just want to believe / Can you hear me? / Can you see me? / What's inside of me? / Oh, I just want to believe / If my life can have a purpose / Help me to believe_

"Not bad," muttered India .

Buffy smiled. "Maybe a dance and a mingle?"

"Yeah, but we can't stay for long – big day tomorrow."

A nod from the younger girl, and the sisters moved to the dance floor.

After dancing for a while, Buffy went outside for some fresh air; the heated cramped space in the Bronze was getting to her. It looked like every teenager wanted to celebrate the last days of his/ her freedom.

Feeling the gentle night breeze of the last day in August, she smiled – a content smile that quickly turned to a frown. There was a cold, ice cold aura to her left, watching, waiting. Buffy mentally admonished herself for going out alone, then squaring her shoulders, she turned to the way the *here be the leech* feel was coming from.

"Come out, I know you are there."

A tall, well-made guy with dark spiky hair, in a white shirt and black coat moved out of shadows. "Ah, heh. Is there a problem ma'am?"

Buffy narrowed her eyes…the guy was a vampire, yes, but there was something….different about him. "Yes there is. Why are you watching me?"

The man backed away a step. ""I know what you are thinking."

Buffy raised an eyebrow, he must be older than the vampires she's met/fried.

"And that is?"

"Don't worry, I don't bite."

"You're housebroken, then?" she asked sarcastically. He just flinched…Ok, this one is all about taking the blows. A martyr vampire?

"Truth is, I thought you're gonna be taller, or bigger muscles and all that."

Or maybe not.

"What do you want?"

"Same thing you do."

"Okay, what do I want then?"

He stepped closer, making them only a hand apart, close enough to fry him if he tried something.

"To kill them. To kill them all."

"Sorry, that's incorrect. But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of Turtle Wax. What I want is a little fresh air without some weird vampire popping in to give cryptic warnings."

"Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open."

Now that doesn't sound good, but why is he telling her this?

"Does it have eyes and nose, too…how about the eyebrows?"

"Don't turn your back on this." At that he tossed her a small jewel box.

Buffy dropped her gaze to the box, realizing that said vampire had a slight mistaken identity going on. Then, with a slight curve upwards in the corner of her mouth, she asked, "So, what's the occasion?" No need to tell Mr. Cryptic vampire that he has a wrong sister.

"You've gotta be ready."

"What for?"

"For the harvest."

"And what's that? Wait…it's the harvest of blood; that is just so yucky. And who are you, or should I just call you cryptic vamp?"

"Let's say I'm a friend?"

"Friend huh? What if I said you have the wrong girl?"

"I never said I was yours." And with that he turned and faded back into the shadows.

"Wow, so cool and mysterious…see me swoon. Moron . Stupid vampire…uh," she muttered, then looked at the jewelry box. Inside is a silver cross on the chain.

"Yep, definitely wrong girl."

_I feel love with my friends / I feel love in my songs / If I could just hold love / Then all the answers might come / I said, oh, if we're all children of God / And we just turned away / I got a lack of belief / I said a world without faith / It's time we turn back around_

***

Next day, Joyce pulled up outside the school. Both girls exited the car and went to the window.

"Now you two have a good time. And try not to do any property damage on the first day."

"We'll try, Mom," India said with a slight shrug, making a loose ebony strand fell on her eyes. Rolling her two ebony orbs, she tucked the errand strand of hair behind her ear.

Two girls looped their hands and started walking to the Sunnydale high. After all, they will have to meet Principal Flutie.

Later, in a History class, the teacher was in front of a blackboard, lecturing to her class:

"It's estimated that about 25 million people died in that four year span. But a fun part of the Black Plague is that it originated in Europe how? As an early form of germ warfare. The plague was first found in Asia , and a Kipchak army actually catapulted plague-infested corpses into a Genoese trading post. Ingenious. If you look at the map on page 63 you can trace the spread of the disease…"

After the class, Buffy and Teresa – a girl that was sitting next to her during History class – were walking toward the library.

"Here it is; the school library…So, Buffy, will you come to the Bronze?"

"Yeah sure."

Buffy entered the library and looked around. It's elegant space. How come the book place was so nicely done and without people, while the Bronze was so small and stuffy? And just where was somebody to help her?

"Hello," she called out, and then thought that she really hoped that some creepy librarian wouldn't pop up out of nowhere. Buffy wandered further in. She peered around a bookcase.

And someone touched her from behind. Startled, she grabbed the offending hand, and, using her smaller size and her opponent's weight, flipped the person on the ground.

Scrutinizing her opponent, she quickly dismissed him as human, though he seemed to have some sort of brownish aura floating about. Now, what did that mean?

The man – librarian – stood up. "Quite good reflexes, Miss….?"

"Summers, I'm new."

"I'm Mr. Giles, and I know what you are after," he answered with a British…hold on, not again.

He led her to the check-out desk by the door. His office could be seen behind it. He pulled a book out and slid it toward Buffy. Huge leather bound, with a single word set in gild in the cover.

_VAMPYR_

Yep, damn leeches and Watchers. Not that Kit was bad – after he dropped the attitude and started to act like a human being.

"Not that again," she muttered. Then she looked up. "I was after a math book, not a leech book."

"You have no idea what's going on, do you? Do you think it's a coincidence, your coming here?"

"Oh, leave me alone!"

"I can't; you are the Slayer."

Sighing, she turned around, "No, I'm not."

"Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl, in all the world, a Chosen One. One born with the…"

She finished along with him, "the strength and skill to hunt the vampires; stop the spread of their evil blah blah."

"I don't understand this attitude. You've accepted your duty; you've slain vampires before…"

"What duty? To fight, yes. To be without backup, no. To live just for this, so that it just takes and takes…that's not a duty, it's a curse. Who in the world is so arrogant to think that one girl, no matter the strength, has a duty to live and die as Watcher commands," she snarled the last part.

And while saying it, she couldn't believe she was saying it – to an adult stranger no less. But on the other hand, she really didn't give a damn; she was sick and tired of seeing India's suffering, Oh she got it; they were saving people, but she'd be damned if she would let her sister slip away again.

" Hey, I know! Why don't you kill them?"

" I don't have the skill."

"Oh, come on. Stake through the heart, a little sunlight."

"The Slayer slays. The Watcher--"

"Watches?"

"Yes. No! He…he … trains her, he prepares her--"

"And kills her on her 18th birthday," she growled out, tired of his pompous attitude.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Approaching Chaos**

_If there was something that frustrated Watchers and martyr souled vampires had in common it was how hilarious it was when they realized that they were trying to corner the wrong girl. The look on the Watchers face was priceless when he found out my whole family knew about Indy being the chosen one._

_Of course the glasses polishing didn't stop there for Giles, nope, we gained friends in-the-know. Then the other shoe dropped and Sunnydale gained another batch of vampires, according to Cordelia, who befriended India, since apparently they have a lot in common, something which Indy needed even though I'm jealous that some girl who wasn't me managed to snap my sister out of her depression. But I am glad that Indy is better now._

_As for me, well, I got grounded for mouthing off to a librarian. Not that I told my parents why I did it, and I am not entirely sure how they found out either, but I am reserving the why only if the Librarian/Watcher doesn't go through with that test. If he does, well, than I am so telling daddy about happy dear18__th__ Slayer birthday._

_Ooh and I just got a new friend with a special power. Her name is Marcie Ross and she's invisible (she hates Queen C though). Along with Theresa (who doesn't know what goes bump in the night…yet) I have two friends now. India made some other friends too: there is Angel, who really needs to stop with the stalking thing, it was annoying when he was doing to me and its double annoying now when he is stalking India, and there is Owen and Lance, who are in the know after that incident in the ZOO, and of course there is Cordelia._

_By the way, I have this new power, apparently I can purify possessed people. The downside is that it kind of sizzles the host too, so…there are couple of people in the hospital now. But hey! At least they did not get to eat principal Flutie._

_I have no idea how much they remember, so I am kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop there too. Not to mention that one of the hyena boys, X something, has a red-headed vamp after him. She is smart and managed to avoid a bout with India and myself. I suppose someone should be on guard duty for that boy, and knowing my luck it will probably be me._

_I foresee a lot of headaches in the future._

_- Extract from Buffy Anne Summers-Cohen's diary_

Night, January 22, 1997 Sunnydale high 

Watcher Rupert Giles was sitting in his office leafing through books while drinking a cup of tea, its calming influence a balm to his worry-frayed mind. After all, it's not every day that a Watcher gets threatened by a little girl, and he didn't mean the Slayer. Oh no, it was her sister and her threats were particularly creative. It made him nervous about the whole thing.

On the other hand he managed to establish a nice working relationship with his Slayer. She was a quiet girl, who listened and obeyed well. He hoped she wouldn't be influenced too much by her little sister. As for the young people that were apparently in the know, well he always needed an extra pair of hands in the library. Hopefully keeping them busy with research would keep them safe.

Contemplating his options he turned the leaf only to start at the words written in ancient Greek. "Ho korias phanaytie toutay...tay nuktee. The Master shall rise...The Master shall rise, and the Slayer..." he trailed off.

"Oh my god."

He reads further, his brows furrowed in concentration and tea completely forgotten.

The Watcher then stood abruptly, going over to the bookshelf to pull out another volume. He opened its leather bound pages and began to read, looking for comparisons between passages.

When he absently reached for his now cold tea everything in the small book-cluttered room began to shake violently, books fell from their places as the earthquake rocked the school's foundations.

Underground, the shaking was accompanied by deep rubble.

Sunnydale Hospital 

Buffy was walking away from her very unpleasant second encounter with the formerly hyena possessed boy. To be fair, the boy Xander, was fairly uncomfortable about it too; hence him trying to pretend that he didn't remember anything.

But he did give himself away, because apparently both his childhood friends were turned into the leech brigade and he was frightened of them. Poor guy. His friends were itching for his blood.

India and Buffy's group have now grown one member. Buffy wonders if there is some sort of karma at work. After all, just when her family moved in, people her age, who lived here all their lives, were beginning to realize that boogey men under the bed were very much real.

Funny that. And when the flashback of the furiously flustered Watcher polishing his glasses with a vengeance sprang to mind, Buffy grinned. Oh it was so totally worth it.

The sooner the Watcher was housebroken the sooner he becomes a human being, or rather, looks at his charge as another human being: a teenage girl with too much on her plate.

Just as she was about to return with Twinkies, the boys needed their bribes after all, the rumbling started.

_Now that_, Buffy thought, _was definitely not of the good._

Sunnydale Park

A beige car with its windows fogged was parked a small distance away from India who was fighting three vamps. When the vampires gained the upper hand by throwing the Slayer to the ground, the headlights hit the vampires, dazing them. India propped herself up as the vampires blinked stupidly, the car was approaching at high speed.

India rolled in to a backwards somersault and came up standing, ready to fight. The car rammed the two vampires, rolling them to the ground and then driving over them in reverse, leaving India one opponent who growled at her and charged. India smirked and pulled a stake from her jacket, showing it to the charging vampire, which only infuriated it further. He launched himself at her.

She hit him in the head with a crescent kick, followed by a high front snap, which stunned him for a second. This was all she needed to plunge the stake in to his un-beating heart. Not even watching when he turned to dust, she jumped over to the vampires-turned-road-kill and staked them too.

The car door opened and the Queen of Sunnydale high stepped out in a designer dress with high heel stilettos.

India smiled at the approaching brunette. "Three in one night, less than five minutes. Giles would be so proud."

Cordelia inspected the path for any mud holes; after all it would not do to get her shoes soiled.

"Yes Miss Goody shoes, now that your conscious is clear we can go to the Bronze."

"By the way Cordelia, that was some nice driving. Thanks."

"You're welcome. And just for the record, if there are any damages to my car I am demanding payment from the librarian."

"What?"

"I had a little talk with your sister and she says that since Watchers are not paying the Slayer they should at least pay for any damages that happen during work."

India opened her mouth when the ground started to shake.

"Oh great it's an earthquake," Cordelia muttered, glaring at the trees which had doused her with water.

Bronze 

When the earthquake shook the ground people panicked.

One boy grabbed on to a pale beautiful redhead girl. On the outside the redheaded girl looked scared, mentally though she smirked at his fear.

Like one measly earthquake would frighten her.

As if.

She covertly smiles when the boy grabs her and guides her away. "Let's get ourselves under the stairs" he says, thinking chicks dig this sort of thing. They get under the stairs and the redhead grabs onto the step, quickly withdrawing her hand to avoid her fingers being stepped on.

Then she turns to the warm body next to her. _It's time to wrap this up_, she thought. After all she and Jessie had a date with her darling Xander lined up in the hospital.

A quick meal and she'll be ready to go.

Underground Cave-directly beneath the Sunnydale High Library 

The leader of the Aurelius Heinrich Joseph line was a very old vampire.

As of the present he stood with his hands stretched above him. He was quite the impressive sight: a tall man clad in black leather radiating power.

Attending vampires shifted uneasily, while the vampire buy, Colin, looked at the Master with curiosity.

"Yes! YES! SHAKE, Earth!" he yelled as the tremors from below shook the earth around him, toppling things from their places on tables and other surfaces.

"This is the sign! We are in the final days! My time has come! Glory! GLORY!"

After the tremors stopped the master turned to the child vampire.

"What do you think? 5.1?"

Mornings in the Sunnydale Library were always joyful, Buffy decided as the doors swung closed behind her and Xander.

They were back from the hospital where they had gotten a visit from two vampires that nearly caused the boy to be turned. Luckily Xander had more brains than she gave him credit for.

_Ok, that was uncalled for_, she thought, annoyed at herself. But she was almost raped by him. Granted, he was possessed and she did get to fry him a bit but still, his attempt, conscious or not, would stay in her memory forever.

Meanwhile Giles emerged from his office, looking rumpled. He obviously hadn't gotten enough sleep. Looking around he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Xander standing behind the Slayer's little sister.

Buffy just shrugged and ushered the boy in to a chair behind a stack of books.

"India's not here yet."

"No, Miss Summers, who is…"

"This is Xander Harris, his two childhood friends became vampires and they are targeting him. So since he is already involved, he wants to help. Hence why I brought him here."

"Hey G-Man."

And again the glasses came off, much to Buffy's amusement.

"Miss Summers."

"It's Buffy, Giles, and since I am not letting India work alone you might as well accept that I am here to stay, and so are the others. They are perfectly capable of sticking the pointy end of a stick into a vampire's heart."

"Or running dead boys over with a car," came a voice from the door. The three occupants turned to see Queen C and The Slayer enter the library, closely followed by a glaring Marcie, a timid Lance and an overconfident Owen.

"Hey Cordy," greeted Buffy, grinning. Cordelia glared at her while Marcie smirked, anything that displeased The Bitch was good in her book.

"Don't call me Cordy! It's C.O.R.D.E.L.I.A."

"But Cordy is much more fun!" quipped Buffy to the irritated brunette.

"And thanks for watching my sister's back on patrol."

"You welcome," came the reluctant replay. Despite appearances the two were fast becoming friends. Of course, that was after Buffy point blank told Cordelia that she was not after the title of Prom Queen, Head Cheerleader, etc.

Then Cordelia's eyes fell on newest member of the group. "And I am feeling my social standard dropping even lower, what's dweeb boy doing here?"

"Morning Giles," greeted India to her Watcher. This made Buffy a little uncomfortable since she didn't greet the Watcher but, then again, he didn't greet her either. Looking around India noticed a crack running through the library.

"Looks like the quake caused some structural damage. Are we safe here?" she asked, turning to her Watcher.

India looked puzzled as she gazed around the room. The new boy was ogling Cordelia while Cordelia made cutting remarks. Amusingly, he gave back as good as he got. Others were examining the damage done by the quake and Buffy was watching Giles like a hawk. Inwardly, India sighed at Buffy's overprotectiveness.

"Do I have something on my face?" she asked her Watcher.

"No, and yes we are perfectly safe here."

"By day," interjects Buffy.

"I noticed an interesting little detail above the school entrance '_formatia trans sicere educatoru'._ Now if my spotty Latin is correct that means that seekers of knowledge may enter. Its an invitation, a welcoming mat."

"That is not all, while on patrol we encountered 3 vampires. Looks like they are upping their numbers," India noted as Cordelia handed Giles a slip of paper.

"What's this?"

"Damage bill caused by slaying."

"Be that as it may, Cordelia, it is not your duty to…"

"And the car needs new paint."

Giles sighed. She wasn't even listening.

"I'll see what I can do," he said as he walked over to the bookshelf.

Buffy regarded the tired man for a second. "How are you doing there Giles?" He turned, looking at the other teen in surprise. That was the first time the Slayer's…no…Buffy was concerned regarding him.

Ignoring the incredulous looks from the man she continued. "You get much sleep?"

"I've been working."

"Anything we can help with?" she asked, then flinched, "…after classes. We have biology now."

And with that the teens cleared the library leaving the librarian with his books, his prophecies, and his glum thoughts.

Buffy was sitting by the fountain, contemplating the latest development in the drama that was her personal life. Xander Harris had asked her out, which she refused, and he hadn't handled the rejection well.

Which lead Buffy to the conclusion that: .Stupid.

But she'd be dammed if she felt guilty for that. And she hadn't had that hyena incident in mind either when he asked.

Her seething came to a halt when tiny hard pellets started to hit the ground around her. Standing up she quickly retreated under a nearby archway, and just in time as the real shower started.

Other students ran for the cover of the archway, all of them watching as the hail came down.

TO BE CONTINUED …


End file.
